• Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune disease form of arthritis that causes joint inflammation (swelling, pain, stiffness) and occurs with skin condition psoriasis. It can also affect the spine and known as a form of spondyloarthritis.¹
• An estimated one third of the one million Canadians living with psoriasis also suffer from psoriatic arthritis (PsA).²
• More than half of patients with PsA wait four or more years for diagnosis, and the time to diagnosis has not significantly improved in the last two decades.³

MONTRÉAL, May 27, 2024 /CNW/ - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. is pleased to announce a partnership with Clarius Mobile Health (Clarius) as part of a dedicated effort to aid in early detection of psoriatic arthritis in Canada. By improving access to ultrasound technology, rheumatologists will be able to identify diagnostic markers sooner, and may positively impact the timeline to diagnosis for PsA patients.

"At Novartis, we recognize the tremendous potential AI holds for our industry and the healthcare landscape at large," said Mark Vineis, Country President at Novartis Canada. "The partnership with Clarius has the potential to transform PsA detection, with the possibility of scaling to other Immunology indications, across specialties and beyond Canada."

Novartis and Clarius share a commitment to improving accessibility to medical imaging in Canada. This agreement will facilitate access to handheld ultrasound devices for rheumatologists and deliver a robust training, support and education journey through in-person, virtual and asynchronous events. As a result of the partnership, Novartis will generate evidence to measure and monitor adoption, usage and impact, and determine how usage of ultrasound in routine practice is related to early detection of PsA.

"The use of point-of-care ultrasound empowers us as rheumatologists to aid in patient education and adherence, as well as therapeutic confidence, to significantly enhance patient care," said Dr. Mohammad Bardi, Clinical Instructor at the University of British Columbia and Staff Rheumatologist, Vancouver General Hospital. "The Clarius handheld ultrasound enables us to provide the best care possible, especially in settings where access to the sizeable cart-based ultrasound systems is not readily available."

Clarius is a pioneer in the medical device field, miniaturizing ultrasound technology to improve medical imaging accessibility. Approved by Health Canada in 2022, the third generation Clarius HD3 boasts a product line of high-performance handheld ultrasound scanners that wirelessly connect to clinician Apple and Android smart devices with an AI-powered application. The Clarius app uses advanced artificial intelligence technology to automatically display an optimized image in real-time, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions at the point of care rather than referring patients to an imaging centre.

"We are inspired by Novartis' mission to improve care for PsA patients and their novel approach to help accelerate diagnosis with real-time ultrasound imaging," said Ohad Arazi, President and CEO at Clarius. "We believe that this type of partnership between a pharmaceutical and a medical technology company can play a tremendous role in improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on our healthcare system.

Novartis is a focused innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more than 250 million people worldwide. Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.

In Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 600 people to serve the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system and invests over $30 million in R&D yearly in the country. For more information visit www.novartis.ca.

Clarius is on a mission to make accurate, easy-to-use, and affordable ultrasound tools available to all medical professionals in every specialty. With decades of experience in medical imaging, the team knows that great ultrasound imaging improves confidence and patient care. Today, AI-powered Clarius handheld wireless ultrasound scanners connect to iOS and Android devices, delivering high-resolution ultrasound images traditionally only available with bulkier, high-end systems at a fraction of the cost. Almost 4 million high-definition scans have been performed using Clarius wireless handheld scanners. Clarius scanners are available in over 90 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.clarius.com. 

Media Contact
Karla Fuentes Arellano
Communications & Engagement Lead
E-mail: camlph.communications@novartis.com
+ 1 514 633 7873

448974E

References

SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.